Pilot Officer S. Roy Whipple - DFC

[SimonK123]

Pilot Officer S. Roy Whipple - DFC

Stanley Roy (Roy) died on 15th June 2013 at home aged 96 years. Funeral Service to be held at St Barnabas Church, Penny Lane, L18 1LZ on Friday 5th July at 11.30 a.m. followed by cremation at Springwood Crematorium L25 7UN at 12.30 p.m..—No flowers by request. Donations to the RAF Benevolent Fund c/o Cravens Funeral Service, Craven Lodge, Broadgreen Road, L13 5SG. Tel: 0151 228 3900.

Roy served as a navigator with 102 Squadron from the 19th July 1941 to 31st July 1942, After completing 28 operations with 102 Squadron Roy was posted to RAF Riccall, where he became Bombing Leader, training the Bomb Aimers. After 12 months at Riccall, he moved to Driffield and became a Base Navigational Officer, covering 3 stations.

Stanley Roy Whipple received his commission on 20th April 1941, he was awarded the DFC for service with 102 Squadron as Acting F/Lt (Gazetted on 18th May 1943). The Citation reads.. "This officer has participated in numerous successful sorties, including attacks on such well defended targets as Berlin, Bremen, Cologne and Essen." In more recent years took up a role at Liverpool University.

I cannot do better than to use Roy's story written by him for Liverpool Collegiate's web site:
http://www.liverpool-collegiate.org.uk/NOTABLES/E_NOTABLE.htm

"I started at the Liverpool Collegiate in 1928, went on to study Classics at Oxford University and graduated in 1939. I returned then to Liverpool to find work and shortly after my return War was declared. I cycled to Oxford and back to enlist. It took me all day each way, as we didn`t have gears on the bicycles then. I continued to work in a temporary job in the Education Department in Liverpool until receiving notice to commence training in the R.A.F.
After initial training, I was posted to R.A.F. Anstey in the Midlands, which was an elementary flying training school. I flew solo in Tiger Moths, but having taken too long with the training, was remustered as an Observer in Paignton, Devon. This was followed by navigation training at Staverton in Gloucestshire, and then stationed in the Isle of Man for bombing and gunnery training.

Having completed training I was posted to an operational training unit in Kinloss, until my commissioning came through. After completing one hundred and twenty three hours of daytime flying and thirty five hours of night flying, I was posted to 102 Squadron in Yorkshire, where I started my operational flying.
My first operational flight was on the 19th July, 1941, when we bombed Cologne. This was followed by Hanover, Frankfurt, Berlin and Dortmund. Most of the raids involved marshalling yards, docks and factories. On the 14th August, 1941, we crash landed after a trip to Hanover. These flights were in Whitleys, and mostly at night when there was a full moon or bright moonlight. We flew many trips, two or three a week, totalling 101 hours of daytime flying, and 188 hours of night flying. The Squadron then moved to Dalby, which is also in Yorkshire, in order for the Squadron to convert to Halifaxes.
In May, 1942, the Squadron went on its first raid in the new aircraft as part of `The Thousand Bomber Raid` to Cologne. I became the Squadron navigational officer for 102 Squadron and briefed the crews on their route, not having as many flights myself, but taking part in raids on Essen, Bremen, Hamburg and Dusseldorf. When I finished operational flying I was awarded the D.F.C.

I was by then a Squadron Bombing Leader, and posted to a conversion unit for crew training on Halifax bombers, as a Bombing Leader. The Halifaxes were based in Yorkshire, while the Lancasters were based mainly in Lincolnshire, along with the Stirlings. About a year later, I was appointed Base Navigational Officer at Driffield, overseeing the navigation of three squadrons."

There is a page about Roy on the 102 "Ceylon" Squadron website including a video of him telling his story here
http://www.102ceylonsquadron.co.uk/memRoyWhipple.html

He came to last years Reunion in Pocklington and attended the Bomber Command Memorial Commemoration last year at which he said he had experienced a very exceptional day.

Details will also be published in the next 102 (Ceylon) Squadron Association newsletter

Our condolences to his daughters and their families

Simon
email: skularatneATaolDOTcom
Tel O1253 885253

Simon Kularatne
Honorary Secretary
102 (Ceylon) Squadron Association
34 Moreton Drive,
Staining,
Blackpool,
FY3 0DR

[ChrisInBlackpool]

Dear Simon and everyone else...

Below is an extract from an email I will be sending out later today, I feel it only right to add it to your wonderful post about Roy, many thanks for this Simon, great job.

Regards to all

Chris

Today was Roy's funeral and those of you who get the Ass newsletter will know that when a member of the Association passes on there is often a mention of that person when information is available. I thought it only right to say a few words concerning how today went and one or two of my own personal feelings... I know some of you will not mind me waffling on a bit... but please don't feel as if you must read all of this...

I traveled by train to Liverpool and met the family at Roy's home, from there I was taken to the church, St Barnabus Church, Penny Lane for the service. I have to say that from the moment I arrived at Roy's house, his daughter's, Carol, Jo and Hillary made me so, so welcome. Carol's husband Mike ferried me around the whole day, and I want to take this opportunity to wish him all the very best with his upcoming heart operation...

When someone reaches the age of 95 it is often the case that not many people attend the funeral, it's as if they have outlived everyone. As the close family and I stood outside the church in the wonderful sunshine, people started to arrive.. and they kept arriving, and when it came to 11.30 there were over 100 people in the church and they had run out of service sheets.

One of Roy's TEN grand children, Nicholas gave the first reading after the first hymn, Psalm 23. Just before that, the Vicar had given the address - something the family had written about Roy's life. I must confess, that on hearing the Vicar speak about Roy's time in the RAF, and how there was now a permanent reminder of what he had done during his time with 102 Squadron and beyond, and how everyone should go and watch the video of Roy, I did feel just a little tearful...

Another Hymn, another reading by Jonathan (grandson) and then the Eulogy, given by Grandson William. I have been to about seven funerals now, I gave the Eulogy at my own Grand Father's funeral.. but it wasn't like this one... I can not go into all the details, but several times Will had to stop, take a breath, wipe away a tear and carry on.. it was truly moving and a wonderful tribute to a wonderful granddad... 'William, your Grand Father would have been very, very proud'!

I only met Roy five times, but if anyone had asked me to use one word, just one to describe him, it would have been, Humble. Listening to William I believe that I would not have been too far off the mark. After the church service we travelled to the Crem for the committal, and then to a hotel for some refreshments. As I spoke to the grand children, and to others that had known Roy much, much more than I had, almost all of his colleagues and friends had no idea that Roy had received a DFC.
He never once bragged about it, never once told them how he had been Navigation base leader covering not just one base, but three... and most of them had no idea he had done a full tour of duty...

Several times during the day someone would approach me and ask if I were one of the ten grand children, only to have a slight look of disappointment when I explained that I was just a web site designer.. but it gave me a chance to tell Roy's story over and over.. and no one seemed to mind, in fact they all seemed fascinated by the stories that Roy had told us.

When you go to a wedding it's expected that you come home and say that you had a 'wonderful day', or at least it's hoped so...
It might sound odd for me to say that today has been 'wonderful', I'm sure for Carol, Jo and Hillary, and the ten Grand children it wasn't wonderful, but I can't think of a better word.

Roy was given the best send off possible, he now rest's in peace, at last, with his beloved wife Pam, - there are no more battle's he must fight.

I feel truly honored and privileged to have been present today to say farewell to one of the most courageous, caring, lovable gentlemen to have been born in England.

When you google the name Roy Whipple, the top item is Roy's page on the 102 Ceylon Squadron web site - the next is his video on You Tube.

RIP Roy, you will never be forgotten.